New York regulator changes insurance rules to help Sandy victims

Insurers that cover New York residents whose homes suffered damage from the superstorm Sandy are required to accept homeowners' documentation of losses rather than send inspectors to survey the damage, a state regulator said on Monday.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo directed the state's Department of Financial Services to issue the order so that residents will be able to discard debris before a second storm hits the region later this week.

The state also imposed a 30-day moratorium on canceling or terminating insurance policies for homes and small businesses, even if the policy-holders do not pay premiums.

"We are acting to preserve homeowners' insurance rights when much is beyond their control," Cuomo said in a statement. "They have suffered enough and should not be hurt further by red tape or technicalities."

Among insurers that may be affected by the disaster rules are Allstate Corp, Chubb Corp, Travelers Cos Inc and American International Group Inc.